Breakdown of Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό, γιατί δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά.
Questions & Answers about Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό, γιατί δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά.
In Greek, the standard position of the negative particle δεν is directly before the verb it negates.
- Δεν πλησιάζω = I do not approach
- Πλησιάζω δεν is ungrammatical in modern standard Greek.
So in a normal sentence, you place δεν right before the main verb (or the auxiliary, if there is one):
- Δεν πάω. = I am not going.
- Δεν έχω δει. = I have not seen.
Ποτέ means ever or never, depending on whether the sentence is negative or positive.
In a negative sentence with δεν, ποτέ means never:
- Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ... = I never approach...
In a positive sentence, ποτέ means ever:
- Έχεις πάει ποτέ στην Ελλάδα; = Have you ever been to Greece?
In modern Greek, when you want to say never, you almost always use δεν + ποτέ together. Using ποτέ without δεν to mean never is old-fashioned or poetic.
Yes, ποτέ can move a bit, and the sentence will still be correct, although the most neutral place is right after the verb:
- Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια... (most natural)
- Ποτέ δεν πλησιάζω τα καυσαέρια... (more emphatic: I never ever approach...)
Putting ποτέ much later, e.g. Δεν πλησιάζω τα καυσαέρια ποτέ με το μωρό, is possible but sounds less natural and may affect emphasis. For a learner, it’s best to stick with:
- Δεν + verb + ποτέ + …
or - Ποτέ δεν + verb + … (for emphasis).
Greek uses the definite article (ο, η, το, οι, τα) more often than English, even for general concepts.
- Τα καυσαέρια literally = the exhaust fumes, but it often corresponds to English exhaust fumes in general.
- Τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου = the exhaust fumes of the street / from the road, meaning the street traffic fumes in general.
So:
- English: I never go near exhaust fumes with the baby.
- Greek: Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό…
The article τα here makes it sound natural and complete in Greek; leaving it out (πλησιάζω ποτέ καυσαέρια) sounds wrong.
Yes. Του δρόμου is the genitive form of ο δρόμος (the road).
So:
- τα καυσαέρια = the exhaust fumes
- του δρόμου = of the road / of the street
Together: τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου = the road’s exhaust fumes, i.e. the fumes that come from street traffic. It specifies which fumes you mean, not just any exhaust fumes (for example, not fumes from a factory).
Με το μωρό literally means with the baby in the sense of in the company of the baby / while I have the baby with me.
So the structure is:
- Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου = I never go near the exhaust fumes of the street
- με το μωρό = when I am with the baby / when I have the baby with me
It does not mean near the baby. That would need a different preposition, e.g. κοντά στο μωρό = near the baby.
Both γιατί and επειδή can introduce a reason clause (because), but there is a nuance:
Γιατί is very common and works both in questions (why?) and in answers (because).
- Γιατί δεν πλησιάζεις; = Why don’t you go near?
- Δεν πλησιάζω, γιατί δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά. = I don’t go near, because they are not healthy at all.
Επειδή is only because, not why, and is often slightly more formal or explicit about giving a reason:
- Δεν πλησιάζω, επειδή δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά.
In this sentence you can safely replace γιατί with επειδή without changing the meaning in any important way.
Καθόλου strengthens the negation.
- Δεν είναι υγιεινά. = They are not healthy.
- Δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά. = They are not healthy at all / not healthy in any way.
You can leave it out grammatically, but you lose the emphasis. With καθόλου, the speaker is stressing that the exhaust fumes are completely unhealthy, not just a bit unhealthy.
Υγιεινά is an adjective agreeing in gender, number, and case with τα καυσαέρια:
- τα καυσαέρια = neuter plural nominative
- So the adjective must also be neuter plural nominative: υγιεινά
Pattern:
- το φαγητό είναι υγιεινό (singular neuter: the food is healthy)
- τα φαγητά είναι υγιεινά (plural neuter: the foods are healthy)
- τα καυσαέρια είναι υγιεινά (plural neuter: the exhaust fumes are healthy)
- δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά = they are not healthy at all
Using υγιεινό here would be ungrammatical because it would be singular, but the subject is plural.
In Greek, the simple present (πλησιάζω) often expresses:
- general habits or repeated actions:
- Δεν καπνίζω. = I don’t smoke. (in general)
- general truths or usual behavior.
In Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό, the meaning is:
- I never (habitually) go near the exhaust fumes with the baby.
It’s not about one specific occasion but about a general rule the speaker follows. This use of the present is very similar to the English simple present in habitual statements.
Greek word order is relatively flexible, but not all orders sound equally natural.
Most natural versions here:
- Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό…
- Ποτέ δεν πλησιάζω τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό… (more emphasis on never)
A sentence like:
- Δεν πλησιάζω με το μωρό ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου
is understandable, but the position of με το μωρό and ποτέ feels awkward and less natural to a native speaker. For clear, neutral Greek, keep:
- δεν + verb + ποτέ + object + extra phrases.
Καυσαέρια is pronounced:
- ka-fsa-É-ri-a (5 syllables)
The stress is on the -αέ- syllable:
- καυσαέρια → actually written with the stress: καυσαέρια
Roughly:
- καυ- like kaf- in café, but very short
- -σα- like sa
- -έρ- like er in her, but with e as in met
- -ι-α like ee-a
So the full word: ka-fsa-É-ri-a.